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Six Months, Twelve Years

Intended as places of healing, many became places where neglect and harm left lasting marks. Six Months, Twelve Years traces a progression from individual to institution, from control to consequence. Through the objects and spaces that remain, the series explores the lives shaped within these walls.

Awards

Photographer of the Year Contest

2026

People’s Vote Award

Fine Art

Non Professional

Nominee

Fine Art

Non Professional

Six Months, Twelve Years

Intended as places of healing, many became places where neglect and harm left lasting marks. Six Months, Twelve Years traces a progression from individual to institution, from control to consequence. Through the objects and spaces that remain, the series explores the lives shaped within these walls.

About Artist

Renee Spencer

Renee is a New Jersey–based photographer working primarily in black and white, drawn to the medium’s raw honesty and grit. Through urban exploration, she seeks out spaces that have been left behind, places where time, memory, and structure intersect in quiet, unexpected ways. Her work focuses on what remains: texture, light, and the subtle evidence of lives once lived, exploring urban decay while honoring the resilience and layered histories embedded within these environments. Her connection to these spaces began in her teenage years after discovering Weird NJ, sparking a fascination with abandoned buildings and local lore. After stepping away from photography for over two decades, Renee returned in her 40s with renewed clarity and purpose. That distance continues to shape her perspective, allowing her to approach each space with curiosity, patience, and respect. Largely self-taught, her practice is guided by instinct and a deep awareness of the environments she enters. She does not simply document these places, she engages with them, recognizing both the visible and unseen stories they hold. Her work exists as both observation and remembrance, preserving fragments of spaces that might otherwise be forgotten. An emerging photographer, Renee has exhibited in local galleries, been featured in print publications, and recently showcased her work at ArtExpo New York.

Renee Spencer

Photographic Areas of Focus

Aerial, Architecture, Fine Art, Landscapes, Photojournalism, Still Life, Street

Location

United States of America

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